The Scranton High Chums on the Cinder Path eBook

It seemed almost too contemptible to be true, since
Hugh could easily purchase other garments down at
the sporting-goods store in Scranton. Still,
some mean natures are small enough to love to give
“stabs” that might annoy the recipient;
and boys sometimes grow so accustomed to certain articles
of wearing apparel that being compelled to “break
in” a new pair of running shoes might lose Hugh
the great race!

He gritted his teeth as a wave of indignation swept
over him. Really it was high time this contemptible
spirit of annoying those he chose to look upon in
the light of enemies was crushed in Nick Lang.
He had carried on with a “high horse”
too long already, and, for one, Hugh felt as though
combined action should be taken against him by the
respectable fellows of Scranton High.

But it was far from Hugh’s intention to stand
there and see his locker robbed by such an unprincipled
fellow as Leon Disney, if, indeed, the skulker proved
to be the party they suspected. Possibly Hugh
moved too soon, for it would have been much wiser
had he waited until the sneak thief actually had the
locker open, and disclosed his full intention.

Urged on to action by his indignation, Hugh started
forward. Thad, realizing that it was his chum’s
intention to do something radical, skipped off a little
to the right. He fancied that should the skulker
take the alarm and try to flee, making for the open
window in the rear, he was apt to turn aside and try
to pass by; so his move was intended to block this
little game.

It turned out to be needless, for so interested as
the fellow with the flash-light in his work of inserting
a key in the lock, and trying to turn it, that he
did not appear to notice anything wrong until Hugh
was close at his elbow. Then, as Thad slipped
around to one side to cover all lines of retreat.
Hugh reached out a hand and caught hold of the fellow
by the shoulder. At the same time he exclaimed
in a severe voice:

“Well, what are you doing here, I want to know,
trying to break into my locker?”

The other gave a tremendous start, and a low, bubbling
cry, half of fright, and also of disgust, came from
his lips. The woollen muffler fell from about
his face, and, although he snapped off the light just
then by a movement of his thumb, the others had glimpsed
his features.

Thad had evidently hit the target in the bull’s-eye
when he mentioned his suspicions concerning the probable
identity of the skulker. It was Leon Disney!

CHAPTER VIII

LEON PROMISES TO REFORM

The startled boy struggled to get free, but Hugh had
taken a firmer grip upon his person, and saw to it
that he could not squirm loose.

“Quit your kicking!” cried Thad, indignantly,
when one of the fellow’s shoes came in rough
contact with his own shins; “or we’ll start
something along the same lines! We know you,
Leon Disney, so there’s no use trying to hide
your face.”